Scars and Memories
by animefan021513
Summary: After Merlin gets injured Arthur has to carry him to a nearby cave to tend to his wounds. What happens when a druid girl helps him see more than just the newly discovered scars on his servant's body? (READ AND FIND OUT and please review...be nice with the reviews please.)
1. chapter 1

**_Normal POV_**

"Merlin!" Arthur shouted as he watched Merlin fall to the ground. Arthur turned around to quickly kill the last remaining bandit before lifting Merlin into his arms. "Merlin, I order you not to die on me. I REFUSE to have George and his brass jokes."

Quickly realizing that they had lost their horses Arthur carried him to where he knew a cave was and carefully set Merlin down. He looked to the outside of the cave when he suddenly heard a downpour of rain. "At least we're on high ground."

"Hello may I help you, Arthur Pendragon?" A woman's voice comes from the left of Arthur.

"I knew of this cave from my travels I didn't realize..." He looked closer at the woman. "I didn't realize a druid lived here. If you please, may my friend and I stay here until the storm has passed?"

"Your friend is injured, badly." She added as she knelt down beside Merlin who was breathing heavily.

"I was not aware it was bad. I only saw him fall moments ago. Can you heal him?"

The woman looked at Arthur with pure shock. "You know I am a druid and yet you ask for my help?"

"Please, he is my friend."

"You would call Emrys a friend?" She looked back at Merlin.

Now it was Arthur's turn to be shocked. "What do you mean 'Emrys' Thats not his name. His name is Merlin."

"That is the name you know him by." She said coldly. "The druids...All creatures of magic know him as Emrys."

"What are you going on about?" Arthur's confusion increased more and more by the minute.

"I will explain but first we need to heal him. please take his clothes off and I'll fetch a healing salve."

Arthur did as he was told, but he wondered just how little he knew his fri-servant. After he finally got the shirt and neckerchief off he stared in horror and shock at the marks on Merlin's body. He heard the woman come back, and since she clearly knew him better than he did, he decided to ask, "Where did all of these scars come from?"

"I can show you if you'd like." She says simply.

"How?"

She grabs a bowl of water and a few strange plants. She grinds the plants and pours them into the water. As she now pours the water over Merlin's body she says a strange incantation he's never heard before and very briefly Arthur watches her eyes glow gold like Morgana's. "All you will need to do is press on a scar and you will be taken back to the memory of that scar. I have to pour the water on you two in order for it to work, but it will work. Are you alright with that, while I heal your...friend?" Arthur nods his head and she pours the same water over his head.

"All I have to do is touch a scar and it will take me back to the memory?"

"Yes, that is exactly correct. However, there is a downside to this."

"Which would be?"

"You will not be able to stop anything or affect anything as it is...a memory. You will learn more about your friend than you wanted to know. However, I need you to know this...I am going to put a protection spell on him."

"I understand the first two, but why would I be worried about the protection spell?"

"Because the protection spell will be protecting him from you."

Arthur nods his head once more, still feeling a bit off about letting this whole thing happen.

"Very well." She says. "Lets get started."


	2. chapter 2

**_Arthur's POV_**

I touch the scar on the upper part of his shoulder blade. they look to be mace marks if not that a very sharp broom. 'Surely I didn't cause that...'

Before I even realize it I'm back in a section of the courtyard and its extremely sunny out. I see someone who looks like me walking with a few guards that were out of uniform. "How's your knee walking coming along?" 'That was me...but I'm here.' The copy of me turns around "Oh, don't run away!"

I can see Merlin's expression. 'Has it always held that amount of seriousness in it?' "From you!?"

"Thank God, I thought you were deaf as well as dumb."

I watched as Merlin turned around to face my copy. "Look, I've told you were an ass, I just didn't know you were a royal one." The way he smiles, is almost similar to my copy's at the same moment.

"I could take you apart with one blow." My copy laughs.

"I can take you apart with less than that."

"Are you sure?" Then I see Merlin taking off his jacket ready to fight me. 'He truly is a brave idiot.' My copy hands him a mace and starts swinging his own. "I should warn you, I've been trained to kill since birth."

"Wow, and how long have you been training to be a prat!" 'Was he not afraid of anything? I'm swinging a mace around for God's sake.'

"You can't address me like that."

"I'm sorry, How long have you been training to be a prat...my lord?"

At that I watch as my copy swings his mace at Merlin, but at the moment I'm more focused on Merlin because I need to know when he got hurt in this fight.

As I'm looking at Merlin, I notice that during the fight his eyes were glowing a molten gold...several times, and each time they did...something happened to my copy. This was a memory of our second meeting...this really happened...Merlin had magic and he used it against me. Once the fight was over I watched my copy beat him with a broom.

I was drawn out of the memory and I could hear the rain once more. "He has magic."

"Yes, and before you do anything remember, I have a protection spell on him. the small mark on his shoulder should be a nice memory."

I do as she says and I'm suddenly at the banquet. Merlin is standing at the stairs, not too far from my copy. There was singing and I looked to where the voice was coming from and it was who was supposed to sing for us at the celebrations soon after Merlin and I had already met. I looked to Merlin trying to pay attention and I see his eyes glow gold once more as the woman holds the knife in her hand ready to strike while the spell has everyone asleep. As they were glowing gold I looked to where they were looking and a chandelier fell on the woman, causing the spell to ware off. Everyone stood up and looked down at the old woman and she was ready to throw the dagger once more.

I looked back over to Merlin once more and his eyes were golden once again and time slowed, but not Merlin. He knew where the dagger was heading and he grabbed my copy and pulled him to the ground earning a scratch on his shoulder.

I'm pulled out of the memory once more and I look at Merlin with more confusion than I had in that memory. "Why would he save me with magic not once but twice, knowing it's illegal in Camelot."

"He didn't care that it was illegal. All he cared about was your life."

"My life? Why would he care about my life?"

"Just look for another scar Arthur Pendragon."

I looked at Merlin once more and I stared at the giant burn mark in the middle of his chest. I place my palm on it and I appear in the woods with Merlin. Something injures me and Merlin is hovering over my body "It didn't bite you...it didn't..." He looks at his hand and sees blood. I look at Merlin's face and he looks so defeated and small.

The scene quickly changes to a place I don't recognize. "Hello?"

"Hello, Merlin." A woman smiles and Merlin's face goes pale again.

"You."

"Do you know who I am?"

"Nimueh...You can't be who the dragon meant." 'Now there's a dragon!?' I watch with wide eyes at the memory before me.

"Why is that?"

"Because you tried to kill me." 'She tried to kill him?'

"Before I understood your importance."

"And Arthur?"

"Arthur was never to die at my hand and now it seems I'm his salvation."

"You know what I've come to ask?"

"Yes."

"Will you do it?"

"I do not have the power to mirror life itself and yet give nothing in return."

"I know the price that will be asked."

"To save a life there must be a death. The balance of the world must be restored." 'What is that fool doing?'

"I willingly give my life for Arthur's!"

"How brave you are Merlin, if only it were that simple."

"What do you mean?"

"Whenever you enter this bargain it cannot be undone."

"Whatever it is I have to do, I'll do. His life is worth a hundred of mine!"

I can't help but stare at the bravery Merlin is showing, but it's short lived as I get a quick flash of his mother in agony and then we're back to the strange place again...with Nimueh and Gaius appears to be...no...that's impossible.

"Back again so soon, Warlock?" 'How is that different from a sorcerer?'

"What have you done?"

"Your mother is safe. Isn't that what you wanted?"

I see that Merlin is looking at Gaius' dead body. "Did you kill him?"

"It was his wish."

"I BID MY LIFE FOR ARTHUR'S, NOT MY MOTHER AND NOT GAIUS!"

"The old religion doesn't care who lives and who dies! Only that the balance of the world is restored. To save a life a life must be taken. Gaius knew this."

"It is not the old religion that has done this it is you!"

"Come now, we're to valuable to each other to be enemies."

"No, I share nothing with you!"

"With my help Arthur will become king..."

"I will make Arthur King, but you will never see that day!" He says a word I don't recognize but An incredible amount of power erupts from his hand and goes to attack her.

She catches it..."Your childish tricks are useless against me Merlin. I am a priestess of the old religion." She shoots a fire ball at him and to my surprise he dodges it rather well. As he tries to get up she has another fireball ready but she begins to speak, "You too, are a creature of the old religion. You should Join me."

"You think I would join forces with such a selfish and cruel magic? Never!"

"So be it." She shoots the fireball at Merlin and I see it make contact with his chest. 'He could've joined forces with her, yet he decided not to, he's a creature of the old religion...a creature of magic, he says he'll make me king...what is all of this?'

She walks over to Merlin who is clearly in pain and smiles down at him. "Pity. Together we could've ruled the world."

She walks away but I see Merlin's eyes open as if the pain never happened and something is hidden deep in his eyes. Determination, anger, resentment, and definitely power. "You should not have hurt my friend!" He lifted his hand to the sky and I looked up to see clouds forming to make a fierce thunderstorm. There is something Strangely calm yet extremely dark in his eyes as he ever so gently lowers his hands. Suddenly, lightning strikes down on her without Merlin uttering a single word and she evaporates into thin air.

I watch him rush to Gaius and he begins to hold him. "Gaius? Gaius?" After shaking him a little Merlin immediately looks both angry and defeated. "NO! NO!"

I have never seen him so distraught before, but then we both hear Gaius. "Merlin?"

"Gaius? Gaius, you're alive!" So much joy returned to Merlin all at once, it was hhard to believe only seconds ago he was crying.

"What did you do?"

"Nimueh is dead. The balance of the world has been restored." He smiled.

"You amaze me. You've mastered the power of life and death itself. We'll make a great warlock of you yet." 'GAIUS KNOWS!?'

"So you believe in me now?"

"Well...I would do...if...if you ccould stop this blasted rain!" They both laugh and I am pulled from the memory.

"Ah, welcome back Arthur Pendragon. You must not have wanted to leave that memory. Your friend is merely sleeping now. Ask me one question you may have from that experiance."

I nod my head slowly...still not quite sure what to make of everything. "What...umm...What's the difference between a warlock and an average sorcerer?"

"A few things. A warlock is born with magic. They do not choose to have it and if it's taken away it is no different than someone taking away your arm. Another is the incredible amount of power, but Emrys here is and forever will be the most powerful warlock ever to walk the earth. He is destined to stay by your side, as you are the once and future king."

"I saw him conjure a storm and command lightning to kill Nimueh without saying a single word...He could've joined forces with her, or with that kind of power could've easily killed me...Why hasn't he?"

"That's a question you should ask him when he wakes up. Now, it is late. I will be returning to bed. Goodnight Arthur Pendragon."

"G-goodnight."


	3. chapter 3

**_Still Arthur's POV_**

I can't help but stare at Merlin who is sleeping somewhat soundly, despite all the pain he seems to be in. That burn mark was no longer recent but I suspect that since it was caused by magic it would remain like that and remain painful.

'He is the most powerful warlock and could easily overtake the throne with just a wave of his hand...Yet he didn't. He stayed...a servant. I still can't believe this. He said he was to make me king...I am King now...Has he helped me get this far? And if so...how many times has he risked his life...BARGAINED his life...for me?'

I hear him speak in a strange tongue...Despite it being whispered it holds authority. I hear a loud noise just outside the cave and I see on the edge of the hill the dragon I supposedly killed. "Young Pendragon, I didn't expect to see you here. I heard..." I watched as the dragon calmly looked past me. "Ah I see, well that's new. He's never called for me in his sleep before."

I look over to Merlin and I notice him shivering. "Kilghara..."

The dragon walks into the cave and moves himself and Merlin to where Merlin is resting on the dragon's large arm and against his chest. "The blood loss may have made him cold, and you seem to be learning a great deal about the young warlock considering there is a memory enchantment placed on the both of you."

"He told me I killed you!"

"How kind of him." He looked down at Merlin with what I could guess was irritation. "That is, as you can see, not what happened. He is the last Dragon lord. His father was Balinor...when he died, Merlin gained the powers of a dragon lord...until then he could do nothing...he is also the one who set me free. Please, young Pendragon do not be hard on him...it was entirely my fault and it was he who told me to leave...I'm at his mercy and i come when I call...but also I warn you...I'm no pet."

"The language he spoke just before you arrived..."

"That is my language. The language of the dragons. He told me he needed me and that he was scared, which is a far cry from what his usual commands are."

"Like what!?" I instantly look at the sleeping Merlin, still finding it strange that I'm talking to a dragon.

"Sometimes he commands me to fight, sometimes he just wants to talk, and sometimes he seeks out my advice."

"Have you done anything without his command?" I watched as the dragon became saddened at my question. He turned Merlin over onto his stomach using a single claw and Merlin didn't wake up.

"This mark you see here..."

I look to where his claw is pointing and I find myself extremely confused. "That's a serket sting. How is he not dead?"

"I healed him. It was against his wishes and he was frustrated with me for not allowing him to go to you sooner, but I couldn't. He is like kin to me."

"I remember him being called a creature of the old religion...so is he human or..."

The dragon laugh as he carefully turned Merlin back over and settled him back down. "He is human, but he is the most powerful human...He is a creature of magic known as. warlock. He was born like this."

"So I've been told. What else has he done for me that I don't know about?"

"Hmm...considering you've already learned so much I see no harm in this. Do you remember when he drank from a poison chalice for you?"

"You know about that?"

"I do, and I also know that the light you saw in the cave was made by him...while he was dying...and unconsciously keeping it lit until you made it out."

"He saved me...while he was dying..."

"He also had me forge your sword, Excalibur."

"What do you mean?"

"Your sword has been forged in my breath. It can kill ANY creature. He knows this and he trusts only you with it." He looked down at Merlin who was now waking up.

"Kilghara...where are we?"

"We are in one of my dens young warlock and we have a guest." The dragon then looks at me with evident amusement.

"A-Arthur I can explain this...umm...this is...okay...I can't explain, just don't kill me."

'He knows that my sword can kill him, He is a warlock, he is a creature of magic, he controls a dragon, he has been willing to sacrifice his life for me, he has tried on many occasions, he is my servant, and he is my friend...yet he is still afraid I will react like my father.' "Merlin, I'm not going to kill you." I can hear the sadness in my own voice but I can't help it. There is so much I don't know. HHow many times has he almost died for me, but he shows such fear of ME killing him.

"You're not?"

"No, I know everything...I've even seen a few of your memories thanks to a druid girl."

"Seems he's met one of Freya's friends." Kilghara said with amusement.

"So you know everything...and I'm going to live? Are you banishing me?"

"No you damn idiot. I'm going to promote you soon. I'm going to give you a title of my own making...Court sorcerer sounds good."

"Young Warlock, if your jaw dropped any further it would fall off. This is the part where you thank your king."

"Uh...right...Thank you, Arthur."

"We'll discuss more when we get back. The past, present, and future looks bright and makes more sense to me now. I have all of you to thank for that. I'm grateful...for everything."


End file.
